My sister and I were talking last weekend about when we wanted to get together.

We each had a few chores to get done before we could kick back, and one we had in common was the laundry. She mentioned she liked to get hers done early in the summer, so the clothes dryer didn't heat up the house.

I mused about that as I started my own laundry.

About a time when doing the laundry was truly a chore.All photos below from the Library of Congress.